How To Cook Cabbage Irish Style

Potatoes and cabbage are probably the two vegetables Ireland is most famous for. Millions of heads of cabbage will be cooked and eaten on March 17th and in the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. Irish cabbage is boiled and shredded and served with melting butter.

When I was preparing corned beef last week, I mentioned to my husband that I planned to steam the cabbage in wedges. A look of disappointment crossed his face as he declared:

And so I cooked our cabbage Irish style, boiled and cut up into shreds, then served with melting butter.

My grandmother always cooked cabbage in the same pot and salty water she used to boil bacon.

I like the flavor a little bacon adds to cabbage, so I thought I would share my cabbage cooking technique with you today, in preparation for our favorite saint’s feast day. It comes with a seal of approval from my Donegal man.

But in Ireland cabbage is cooked with bacon to add flavor, so I used a little trick to add the necessary flavor. I created a flavor packet using bacon strips and peppercorns wrapped in a cabbage leaf to give this cabbage an Irish flare.

Ingredients for Irish Boiled Cabbage:

Here’s what you’ll need to cook this vegetable side. You’ll find a printable recipe at the end of the post, with exact quantities.

green cabbage

peppercorns

streaky bacon

salt

water for boiling.

Note: Cooking half a head of cabbage yields about 4 servings. I usually cook just half a head at a time, but this recipe works fine if you cook the whole head of cabbage, yielding about 8 servings.

Directions for Cooking Cabbage:

Here you’ll find step-by-step photographic instructions to help you recreate this recipe successfully. There are plenty of tips included along the way.

Here is my trick for adding a little bacon flavor to my American boiled cabbage. I take the outer leaf off the cabbage head and remove the hard stalk at the very end.

Next place 3 slices of bacon folded over in the center of the cabbage leaf, together with 1 teaspoon of peppercorns.

Next comes time to fold up this flavor packet, by bending the sides of the leaf inwards over the bacon, then rolling up the cabbage leaf.

Secure it with some cotton thread, that will withstand boiling water.

Next cut the cabbage head in two halves.

Remove the inner hard core of the cabbage by slicing on either side of it. Wiggle it and it should pop right out.

Peel the leaves off the cabbage head, layer by layer.

Pop them in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

Transfer the cabbage leaves into a large saucepan, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces.

Add the bacon and peppercorn packet prepared earlier.

Cover the cabbage with water and season with salt.

Bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

Drain the cabbage and return it to the pot.

Discard the cabbage package with the bacon and peppercorns.

Using a knife cut through the cabbage leaves.

When shredded nicely, add some butter if desired.

Serve with potatoes and corned beef. Simply delicious with a few knobs of butter melting over the cabbage and potatoes.

Here’s the printable recipe..

Boiled Cabbage Irish Style

Cabbage is usually boiled with bacon in Ireland. This recipe uses a flavor packet created by wrapping bacon strips and peppercorns in a cabbage leaf to add a taste of Ireland to this side dish.

Ingredients

Instructions

Remove the outer leaf off the cabbage head and remove the hard stalk at the very end. Place 3 slices of bacon folded over in the center of the cabbage leaf, together with 1 teaspoon of peppercorns.

Bend the sides of the cabbage leaf inwards over the bacon and peppercorns, then roll up the cabbage leaf. Secure it with some cotton thread, that will withstand boiling water.

Cut the cabbage head into two halves. Remove the inner hard core of the cabbage by slicing on either side of it. Wiggle it and it should pop right out.

Peel the leaves off the cabbage head, layer by layer. Pop them in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

Transfer the cabbage leaves into a large saucepan, tearing any large leaves into smaller pieces. Add the bacon and peppercorn packet prepared earlier.

Cover the cabbage with water and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

Drain the cabbage and return it to the pot. Discard the cabbage package with the bacon and peppercorns. Using a knife cut through the cabbage leaves to shred it.

Add a knob of butter to melt over the cabbage. Serve with potatoes and corned beef.

Nutrition Facts

Boiled Cabbage Irish Style

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 90Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 13mg4%

Sodium 246mg11%

Potassium 217mg6%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 200IU4%

Vitamin C 42mg51%

Calcium 48mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

I just remove the package of bacon and peppercorns and discard it, before shredding the cabbage. Hope this helps. I’ll add this step to the post. Thanks for pointing out this need. Best wishes, Mairead

Actually – I eat it with my cabbage, but technically it’s not needed for the recipe. I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s in Ireland where it was considered a mortal sin to throw food away, so these little bits of bacon always make their way to my dinner plate. All the best, Mairéad

Originally from Northern Ireland…… We fry the bacon…Cook the Cabbage ’til tender…..drain Cabbage well…..Save some of the Bacon fat….Add Cooked Cabbage to fat and Cabbage in the pan toss together…….Add the extra saved Bacon fat if needed…..Serve with Mashed Potatoes………..Enjoy!!!!

Never thought of cooking the cabbage like that. I always cut mine up before I cooked it. That is neat the way you flavor it with streaked meat without the fat. I am going to try that this week-end because I will bet you get ALL that delicious cabbage flavor with none going out in the drained water. Thank you for this. I love cabbage. I’m Irish American too. 🙂

Mary – I just checked out your website. I could spend hours browsing through all of your wonderful recipes. I will definitely check it out in more detail when I get a spare moment. Thanks for stopping by.

I am so looking forward to trying this for St. Patrick’s day, along with the guiness crockpot stew and some hard crusted bread. My family loves cooked cabbage, but the wife can’t stand corned beef. This will be a good alternative.

I have yet to find it, but I swear I must have some Irish blood in me somewhere. I have always had a great affinity for Ireland, and hope to get there some day (much to the chagrin of my brother who has fully embraced our proven Scottish heritage). I thoroughly enjoy your site, and look forward to trying more recipes.

Jim – I hope you have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day celebration and that all your dishes turn out delicious.

I believe if you feel a kinship to Ireland then you probably do have an Irish link somewhere in your past. Remember Ireland and Scotland are very closely linked through our celtic heritage. In the 19th century many Irish rovers went to Scotland and England in search of work over the summer months. At one point only 12 miles separates Ireland from Scotland and the legendary Giant’s Causeway supposedly once linked the two. So be proud of your known Scottish celtic heritage and your hidden Irish identity.

I hope you don’t mind me mentioning you, and linking to your site, in my blog. Your recipe’s really made this St. Patrick’s Day for the family. To top it off, I even discovered last night where that Irish bug in me came from. With a little bit more work on my family tree, I discovered last night that one of my great great grandmothers was born in Ireland in 1833.

Jim – Thank you for linking to my site and for your kind words. I loved your post. I made stew and shepherd’s pie for some friends yesterday to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It really was hearty winter fare for a day in the 80’s.

I am delighted you found your family connection to Ireland. Wishing you every success a you continue to research your family tree. Thanks for visiting and I will look forward to your comments.

Christian – I have never done that since there is no way to prevent potato pieces from sticking to the cabbage. I would only boil them together if I intended to make colcannon, and mash both of them together. However, it is hard to coordinate the exact cooking time of the cabbage with that of the potatoes. Bigger potatoes take longer to cook than the cabbage, so you might have to start the potatoes boiling and then add the cabbage. All the best, Mairéad

My Mom and I cook the potatoes with cut up cabbage,celery, and onions,with plenty of black pepper and parsley, and HAM. We never had corned beef (Mom was down on it for some reason) with the cabbage. The dish comes out almost a soup/stew/ one pot meal.I bet the ham and bacon do a similar thing to the cabbage in flavor. Butter and homemade bread to soak up the peppery juices finishes it off. I continue to love your site!

Penny – Your dish sounds delicious. I bet your Mom wasn’t keen on corned beef since it’s not really Irish. We never ate corned beef when I was growing up in Ireland. We always had ham or bacon instead. Thanks so much for stopping by. Best wishes for a very happy St. Patrick’s Day. Mairead

Corned beef is actually part of the Irish American experiance, the it is what the poor immigrants of the industrial era could afford, so they substituted it for the pork more common in their native land. Hence a new tradition was born and many people are confused.

Hi Ruth – Corned beef is truly part of our Irish American traditions. It may not have originated in Ireland but it is a unique part of our Irish American heritage. Many thanks for stopping by, and adding to our discussions about all things Irish and Irish American. Best wishes, Mairéad

My mom and her entire side of the family is from Ireland. Very unlikely it is canned ham. The ham I always had growing up was a cured country ham. Sometimes it is boiled, sometimes it is baked. Depending on what you are making. There are lots of recipes on the web for Irish dishes that include ham.

Thanks CJ – I’d say you’re correct – a cured country ham is delicious and would work great for Penny’s cooking suggestions. Thanks so much for checking out this post on cooking cabbage and for adding to our little discussion. All the best, Mairéad

Jessica – It definitely would be easier to shred the cabbage before cooking. However, my mom’s theory for why she shredded it after cooking goes like this. When pre-shred, the cabbage leaves leak more of their juices into the boiling water through their cut and exposed edges. My mom believes that by keeping the leaves as intact as possible, you retain more of the goodness of the cabbage. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have always shredded my cabbage after cooking. All the best, Mairéad

Thank you Mairead for your lovely recipie, We all love Bacon and cabbage, very interesting fact you have there about leaving the cabbage un shredded while boiling, my mother never shredded the cabbage before boiling it either, and neither do I, and didnt realise until you said it, by cooking it unshredded it keeps in the juice, ive often seen people shredding cabbage before boiling it, and though it l;ooks so proffesional, but i dont do it, and im glad now, and i always make home made white sauce with it.

Maureen – We both seem to have learned the same cooking tips and tricks from our Cork mothers. I have always shredded cabbage after cooking, simply because it’s how my mother and her mother before her cooked cabbage. Homemade white sauce with bacon and cabbage – simply yummy. 🙂 All the best, Mairéad

Hi Brian – Thanks for stopping by and checking out my recipes. I understand they may be all wrong when compared to your family cooking traditions. Even my own mother would say they are not exactly the same as she cooked when I was a little girl in Dublin. I have tweaked her recipes for cooking in America, using ingredients easily found in American stores. So right or wrong, I’m just going to say they are slightly different, and I find them tasty all the same. I hope you had a lovely Christmas yesterday, and best wishes for 2016. Mairéad

Hi Meghan – I’m delighted my cabbage recipe was a success at your St. Patrick’s Day dinner last year. Thanks so much for stopping by to let us know and for sharing your tip for extra bacon flavor. You can’t beat a little more bacon, especially on cabbage. All the best, and happy St. Patrick’s Day 2016. Mairéad

original question answered by scrolling down. Wanted to express appreciation for your honest website. Only used middle name to show Irish connection. I don’t wait for March for cabbage and corned beef. I like to freeze the meat when its on sale in March and enjoy it all seasons. Did think of a question after reading leek receipe. Never have heard of receipe using the green leaves of the leek. knowing how frugal U R do you have a receipe using them? Thanks again and keep up the good work….

Hi Jay – Thanks so much checking out my cabbage recipe and it’s lovely to know you appreciate the humble cabbage as much as I do. When it comes to leeks most recipes only call for the white and light green portions. You can use the leftover dark green leaves whenever you make stock. They freeze well so you can keep them for the days you have some chicken bones and want to make stock. You can also use them under a roast to lift the meat off the bottom of the roasting pan, and they add some nice flavor to the juices. Like you, I love to use every part of the vegetable possible. Hope this helps. Best wishes, Mairéad

Hello, I only recently found your blog and was delighted. I married a man from Ireland and most of our meals tend toward Irish cooking. I have, though, been able to introduce TexMex and jalapenos to my Irish fella, who weekly grills jalapeno poppers for us.

I thought I’d add a tip I learned from him for cabbage that I never would have known. If you add a half teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water, the cabbage stays that beautiful green color. American cabbage usually has a pallid look, unlike the striking green color in Ireland.

I’m so glad you found my blog. When we lived in Dallas my Donegal Irishman was introduced to the glories of TexMex food. Sour cream chicken enchiladas are now a favorite in our house. I love your tip for keeping cabbage looking green. Retaining any little bit of green in American cabbage is very important. The dark green Savoy cabbage we eat in Ireland is so much more colorful than the American cabbage varieties. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I look forward to hearing from you as I publish my future ramblings. All the best, Mairéad

Hi, I just wanted you to know that You cook your cabbage the same as my mother and both my grand mothers who are all from Dublin, Ireland 🙂 I look forward to checking out more of your recipes. Niall in Dublin

Hi Niall – Lovely to hear your mother and grandmothers cooked cabbage just like I do. Some may say we overcook it, but this is the way I like it and the way I ate cabbage growing up in Dublin many moons ago. Thanks so much for checking out my recipes and ramblings. All the best, Mairéad

Hi Josie – I’m glad the ladies liked their cabbage. It’s always difficult to get the guys to eat their veggies. I have three sons and veggie eating is a constant struggle in our house. All the best, Mairéad

I’m half-German, half-Scotch/English and Presbyterian. Still I’ve always had a “feeling” for the Irish. This was only heightened when I visited the island and met the people. Your comment about some folk shifting to Scotland may be in my past as well.

Hi Gene – You’re Irish even if you just feel Irish at heart. It’s a feeling of connection and understanding that needs no DNA proof. Thanks for reading my recipes and ramblings and for joining our Irish conversations. Best wishes, Mairéad ☘☘☘